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I'm really enjoying The Enemy Within so far, after a strong opener and now a second episode that drags Bruce further than ever before, and strips him of any real sense of control over the situation.
It may not be the most action packed in the series thus far, it's certainly one of the most memorable.
I'm happy to finally have an official English release of Gundam Versus in my hands, but confused as to why it feels less feature rich than the last game. There's the amazing framework and attention to detail that makes this such a fun game to play, but there's just very little for you to sit down and actually put those gameplay systems to use in. Having a group of friends to duke it out with will add a lot more value to the experience, but without that, you're looking at a delicious burger that's missing a bun and maybe just has a little piece of lettuce on it.
Hidden Dragon isn't terrible, but it's sorely stuck not one, but two generations in the past. The sidescroller is by no means dead, yet those working in this shrinking subgenre are either emulating its most celebrated champions or pushing the boundaries with something new and inventive. Hidden Dragon does neither, nor does it have the visual oomph that can often help overlook a game's shortcomings.
I wanted to like Maize, I really did. The initial trailers promised precise puzzle solving and surreal Pythonesque humour, yet there is very little here for me to be able to recommend and I find myself being very s-corn-ful. The dull and tedious gameplay and misjudged humour making the limited run time a dreary drudge to the finish line. It simply shucks.
NBA Live 18 is a good basketball game. It's not something that will blow you away, but good enough if you're looking for an alternative. The One is a solid create a player mode that is easy to get into, with levelling up the player far from being a chore, but NBA Live 18 lacks depth in the other modes and the AI could do with improving. EA has work to do if it wants NBA Live to reach the reputation it once had, but that goal seems to be in reach.
Raiders has some interesting ideas, but slips in its execution. While the gunplay is solid and the graphics and voice acting are both good, the repetition of the missions combined with the need to replay them for what little character customisation there is quickly takes the shine from it all. What remains is a middling game that misses its potential.
Runic fans waiting on Torchlight III may be feeling sore, but the developer's decision to take a gamble on something new has certainly paid off. Hob demonstrates just how well this team can create a world and stitch it together with intuitive level design. Although some parts are clearly stronger than others, as a whole Hob is easily one of the best indie games of 2017.
Chaos;Child delivers a disturbing and engaging story that not only stands on it's own, but helps to expand the worlds of other parts of the Science Adventure Series. It's just a shame that it takes so long to experience that story, and that the choices you make to find every piece of info and characterization are weirdly designed. Chaos;Child isn't as good as Steins;Gate at the end of the day, but a more memorable cast of characters and a more distinctive art style would help future entries stand alongside Steins;Gate instead than behind it.
The Lego Ninjago Movie Game does a great job of bringing the full film experience to your console and wrapping it up with the next step in Lego gameplay . It's fantastic to see a return to the style of the Lego Movie Videogame, as opposed to the Lego Batman Movie's half-accurate Lego Dimensions pack, but it's bittersweet when all of that good work is somewhat undone by last-gen technical flaws which have somehow found their way back in.
There is so much to love about Battle Chasers's take on the JRPG. Its strategic elements, well-crafted characters (although the attempts at self-referential humour with Red Monika's physique are not always successful), brilliantly judged battle system, and satisfying crafting all combine with a good, albeit not groundbreaking, fantasy narrative. Sadly it's plagued by frequent crashes which impact the score at launch, but this game is otherwise easy to recommend for fans of the genre.
The complete collection of The Journey Down provides a fun point and click adventure series that manages to have challenging but not frustrating puzzles. Bwana is a character that could become a point & click favourite, possibly on par with Manny from Grim Fandango. While the plot of The Journey Down does hit rough spots at times, especially in the third act, the series is easily recommended to those looking for a point & click adventure game to spend time on, as well as those who like puzzle games in general.
Middle-earth: Shadow of War is massive, yet at the same time a prime example of a sequel that's bigger, but not necessarily any better than the original. Once again the Nemesis system shines, allowing players to forge their own unique stories, even if the game tries to do too much with it at times. Getting caught in its tangle of new systems and features can be frustrating, but there's still a great open world game here.
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions is a great remake that ticks all the right boxes. Not only does the original game hold up incredibly well, but there are plenty of design and mechanical changes that make the game feel fresh. Bowser's Minions is a great addition that complements the original game nicely. This is a great starting point for the Mario & Luigi series and is wholeheartedly recommended.
Forza Motorsport 7 continues the series' march towards motoring perfection, and graphically there is simply nothing close to touching it. What's even more remarkable is that it looks so good before we see the boost the Xbox One X will bring to both the visuals and the performance. There are some downsides to that fidelity, and on a standard Xbox One the load times suck a chunk of the fun from the experience, while the game's internal economy also looks likely to cause problems further down the line. Having said that, this is still a masterpiece of racing software, and undoubtedly it's set to become what its rivals in the genre will be judged against.
All in all, The Metronomicon successfully blends the mechanics of rhythm action games with the battle system of JRPGs. As such, it is well worth experiencing, although I am not sure how big a crossover market there is between those two genres. Unlike Persona 4 Dancing All Night, for example, the main element borrowed from RPGs is in the battling. If the concept intrigues you then there is much to enjoy, but only the most freakishly dextrous should try playing at the harder skill settings.
Cuphead was well worth waiting for. It provided exactly what Studio MDHR said it would be – a boss rush with plenty of well-designed bosses and gorgeous presentation that mimics the Fleisher brothers' art style. Depending on how used to 2D platformers with difficult bosses you are, there's a decent amount on offer, though with limited side attractions beyond the bosses, it could all be done before you know it. It's a swell ol' time though.
This DLC makes for a fitting end to one of 2017's earliest success stories.
WRC 7 isn't perhaps the most exciting racing game out there, but while it lacks some of the drama of Codemasters' offerings, this is still a well put together and technically sound rally game. It's also another positive step forwards for the series, which shows that there is absolutely the potential there to turn in something special.
Tooth And Tail charts the midpoint between traditional RTS games and their massively popular mobile counterparts. It's quick and streamlined yet complex and deeply tactical when played competitively. Some fans of the genre will no doubt revel in customising their decks to devour their opponents, but others will find Pocketwatch's approach either too simplistic or not simplistic enough.